The Latest: Storm forces many roads to close in South Dakota

3/5/18 7:22 PM

BISMARCK, N.D. — The Latest on the winter storm impacting the northern Plains (all times local):

6:15 p.m.

A winter storm is shutting down major roads in South Dakota.

Interstate 90 is now closed in both directions from Murdo to Sioux Falls, a distance of 211 miles (340 kilometers). And I-29 from the North Dakota border to the Iowa border is set to close Monday evening.

Officials have posted advisories urging people not to travel on many South Dakota roads which are snow-packed and icy. Heavy snow and strong winds are making travel nearly impossible on most highways in eastern South Dakota.

Heavy snow is reported in Ashley, North Dakota, with 8 inches (20 centimeters) measured as of late Monday afternoon. The National Weather Service reports 6 inches (15 centimeters) in Lakeville, Minnesota.

A spokesman for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport says 120 flights had been cancelled and more than 300 delayed as of late Monday afternoon.

3 p.m.

A winter storm is causing headaches for both vehicle and airplane travelers in the northern Plains.

The Highway Patrol in Minnesota is reporting dozens of crashes, several with injuries. Crash reports are much lighter in the Dakotas, though there are numerous reports of vehicles sliding off icy highways.

The bad weather resulted in nearly 100 flight cancellations and more than 150 delays at the Minneapolis airport as of mid-afternoon.

The storm is bringing rain, heavy snow and strong winds. No travel is advised in many areas of the Upper Midwest, including all of North Dakota. A 140-mile stretch of Interstate 90 in southeastern South Dakota is shut down due to the conditions.

12:10 p.m.

A large storm bringing blizzard conditions to the Midwest might also cause more problems for the Northeast, which is dealing with the aftermath of a destructive and deadly nor’easter.

The storm is bringing freezing rain, heavy snow and strong winds to a large swath of the Midwest, snarling traffic and forcing the closure of many schools and some government offices.

Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Frank Pereira (pur’-AYR-uh) says that by Wednesday, the system could be dropping 6 to 12 inches of snow on parts of the Northeast, including the Boston and New York areas.

The weekend nor’easter knocked out power to more than 2 million homes and businesses, flooded coastal towns and forced a number of school districts to close. It was blamed for nine deaths from Virginia to Massachusetts.

11:30 a.m.

A storm system dumping snow on parts of the Midwest has shut down hundreds of schools in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.

The closures affect mostly elementary and secondary schools, though many colleges and universities also have shut down their campuses for the day. Among them are the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University, affecting more than 26,000 students.

Those large schools don’t often close for weather. UND spokesman Peter Johnson says safety is the key factor in making the decision.

The National Weather Service says the storm could drop a foot of snow or more in parts of the region, along with freezing rain and winds gusting up to 50 mph. No travel is advised in many areas.

9:30 a.m.

A large storm is bringing freezing rain, heavy snow and strong winds to a large swath of the Midwest, snarling traffic and forcing the closure of some schools and government offices.

The National Weather Service says parts of the Dakotas are expected to get more than a foot of snow and that Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa should also get significant amounts.

Some schools in the Dakotas and Minnesota have been closed for the day. Officials are advising against travel in many areas, and part of Interstate 90 in eastern South Dakota has been closed due to whiteout conditions.

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